Making Jinha Masala

I love it when hotels offer free activities for their guests –especially if there is a cooking demonstration. I may never make the recipe at home but I get to try something new and typical of the area John and I are visiting. The Malaysian Island of Penang has some of the best Indian food. Why?  More than ten percent of the island is of Indian ancestry. One of the popular Indian dishes is Jingha (Hindi word for shrimp) Masala (from the Hindi word for spice). The island’s heterogeneous population is highly diverse in ethnicity, culture, language and religion making it a fascinating destination. It was first settled by the English but today the island is about 40% Malay, 40% Chinese and 10% Indian with a variety of other groups making up the rest. 

 The Malaysian island of Penang is on several lists of great places people should visit during their lifetime; and, it is second on CNN’s list of “The 17 Best Places to Visit in 2017.”  It is easy to see why. The island has a myriad of different things to do from exploring the UNESCO Heritage City of Georgetown to a walking tour through the new Entopia Butterfly Farm to parasailing over the Straits of Mallaca.  

 Penang is a honeymoon destination for Saudi couples and a winter

getaway for Europeans.  There are Europeans in itsy-bitsy bikinis and Arab women in swimsuits that covered them completely except for face, hands and feet; some are very colorful. There are women in abayas, some with face veils, mixed with guests clad in a variety of other outfits including saris and hijabs. Usually it is only the women who are so attired but there is an occasional male in a dishsdasha.

With such a diverse clientele chefs need to prepare food to suit all their guests.  All the food is halal. The breakfast is impressive: eggs, pancakes, grilled tomatoes, cheese, soups, salads, fruits, bread pudding, curries, rice, and even a fava bean dish called foul which was very good. And, so is Jingha Masala. However, it can be very hot which we are not used to.  A while back we had a guide in Penang who took us to lunch at a typical hawker stall place (think food mall) and he had his food so hot he was sweating. When I asked why he eats such hot food he said “I sweat and it evaporates making me feel cooler.” Hummm, not sure it is worth it!

Jingha Masala

1 tbs cooking oil

1 tsp chopped garlic

1 tsp chopped onion

15 curry leaves

2 tsp ginger

1 tsp garlic paste

½ cup tomato puree or finely chopped fresh tomatoes

1 tsp salt

1 tbs red chili powder

2 tsp turmeric powder

25 pcs prawn or shrimp (cleaned and washed)

1 tsp green pepper chopped

2 tbs cream (light)

1 tsp kastoori mathi powder (fenugreek)

Fresh coriander leaves chopped for garnish

Heat oil in wok or frying pan. Add garlic, onions, and curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds. Add ginger and garlic paste. Sauté for one minute. Add tomato puree, salt, red chili powder and turmeric. Cook for five minutes stirring frequently. Add prawns and cook gently for 5 minutes. Add green pepper. Cook for one minute. Add cream and kastoori mathi. Stir and remove from heat. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.  Serve with naan bread.

Things to do in Penang

I always suggest that people take a hop-on bus tour first. There were two options: Beach Tour and City Tour.  I liked the fact that the tks are good for 24 hours from the time it is stamped and the buses run until 7pm. John and I chose the beach tour which took us to the Entopia Penang Butterfly Museum.  It had recently been completely remodeled. It was more than butterflies. The self-guided

walking tour included the world of bugs, waterfalls, hands-on activities and more.  I would like to go back.  The next day we went back on the bus and visited the Spice Garden – the world of spices in a beautiful garden setting. The trail wanders and climbs over eight-acres of secondary jungle with over 500 species of flora and fauna. Penang was on the Spice Trade.  There is a giant swing perfect for picture taking and at the end a gift shop and a restaurant that has an excellent menu and view.

Penang is on the Straits of Malacca and, at least while we were

there, the water was very calm.  John decided to pass on kite boarding this year and go parasailing. There are several operators along the shore – some where you can go tandem, some single, and there is the choice of takeoff and landing on the beach or on a boat. The boat option didn’t seem to go very high so John opted to take off from the beach.  He went with the instructor mainly because the instructor was afraid that John, because of his age, would not be able to run on the landing and would topple over or something.  The instructor was wrong and was impressed with John and his skill with the kite. Duh! Parasailing and banana boat rides are popular with all ethnic groups including those in Islamic dress.

The evenings were for relaxing and shopping.  We enjoyed the Filipino singing duo who sang all of our old favorites. It amazes me that the music of the 50s through the 70s is so popular in Asia.  In the evening the street in front of the hotel was lined with stalls for about a mile. The vendors would drag them out about 4 pm and then drag them away about midnight. They sold a variety of things from T-shirts to watches to leather goods. 

One day we explored Georgetown, a UNESCO World Heritage

Site.  Some of the pristine white buildings of the colonial era remain along with some traditional shop houses. There were many interesting murals – some three-dimensional – in the city. The Clan Jetty is where the Chinese settled years ago and many still live there in traditional homes. I never tire

visiting the ornate Buddhist temples of which there are many. Gen. Cornwallis surrendered to Washington to end the American Revolutionary War but he continued to serve the British.  The fort in Georgetown is named after him. 

The Americanization of the world sometimes depresses me as our culture takes over other culture.  Next to the hotel was a Starbucks which was always busy. So busy, in fact, that cars kept circling the parking area waiting for someone to leave so they could park. And, nearby is a McDonald’s and Hard Rock Café Hotel. There is a lot to do so I hope to return next year. I especially like the diversity of culture and things to do. 

Visit Multi-cultural Penang

 The Malaysian island of Penang is on several lists of great places people should visit during their lifetime; and, besides Number One on Forbes’ list of budget places to visit it is second on CNN’s list of “The 17 Best Places to Visit in 2017.”  It is easy to see why. The island has a myriad of different things to do from exploring the UNESCO Heritage City of Georgetown to a walking tour through the new Entopia Butterfly Farm to parasailing over the Straits of Malacca.  

I find the island’s heterogeneous population which is highly diverse in ethnicity, culture, language and religion, fascinating. In 1786 Captain Francis Light landed on the shore of Penang making it Britain’s first settlement in SE Asia.  English is a compulsory subject in Malaysian schools. Today the island is about 40% Malay, 40% Chinese and 10% Indian with a variety of other groups making up the rest.  

John and I were at the Holiday Inn Resort for Chinese New Year

which the hotel celebrated with firecrackers, Lion Dance, and the traditional Prosperity Toss. Chinese New Year begins with cymbals and big drum creating a lot of noise to drive out any bad spirits.  A Prosperity Toss is a plate of colorful veggies, fish, and noodles that people, using their chopsticks, toss in the air while shouting “Loh Hey”

which literally means to 'move upwards'. It is symbolic of the wish for fortunes to grow during the coming year. With such a diverse clientele the chefs need to prepare food to suit all their guests.  All the food is halal (prepared according to Muslim guidelines). The breakfast is impressive: eggs, pancakes, grilled tomatoes, cheese, soups, salads, fruits, bread pudding, curries, rice, and even a fava bean dish called foul which was very good – something for everyone. 

Penang is a honeymoon destination for Saudi couples and a winter getaway for Europeans.  There are women in abayas, some with face veils, mixed with guests clad in a variety of other outfits including saris and hijabs. Usually it is only the women who are so attired but there is an occasional male in a dishsdasha.

There are Europeans in itsy-bitsy bikinis and Arab women in swimsuits that covered them completely except for face, hands and feet; some are very colorful. One young mother had on a bright pink Islamic-approved bathing suit. It seemed to dry quickly and then it was her street outfit.  The Islamic women are not the shrinking violets that some perceive them to be.  They went swimming, parasailing,

and banana-boating like everyone else.  What I did notice was that, other than the newly-weds, the Muslims travel in family groups and in the evening the family would gather on the lawn together chatting, playing games, and smoking the hookah. They also made use of the children’s play center and game room. The Europeans were mostly elderly couples. 

I make a point of greeting the people who are in the elevator with me. The Saudi ladies responded in perfect American English. It seemed that the men were less conversant in English which I found interesting. Shopping seemed to be the thing to do late in the evening – not for me.  The night market on the street in front of the hotel extends for a mile or more beyond the hotel with kiosks selling an amazing variety of things from T-shirts to jewelry to food.  

Consider spending the winter is SE Asia

The first time I ran across people doing a long-stay at a resort was in Penang, Malaysia at theEngland, who were staying 2-5 months.  I was impressed and thought it was a unique situation.  But I have found out since that it is a common practice for Europeans from many countries to winter in SE Asia at resorts for a month or more.
Parkroyal Hotel.  The guests were Europeans, mainly from

This year we stayed three weeks at the Regent Beach Hotel in Cha-am, Thailand. This is the fourth time we have stayed there.  It was previously a Holiday Inn property but they are no longer partners.  I wish they were so I could get Priority Points to facilitate a stay at other InterContinental properties. 

I think long-stays are an excellent alternative to wintering in Florida or some other warm destination. The advantages are many. No second property to care for thus eliminating the cost of utilities, upkeep, and possibility of a mortgage. And, we like the fact that we can long-stay at different locations.

We met a couple from England who stay two months at the Regent before Christmas, return to England to celebrate the holidays with their family, and then spends three months after Christmas at the resort.  They have been doing this for many years. They, like others, opted for just the room when negotiating their rate.

Others have breakfast included in their rate.  We love the extensive breakfast buffet at the Regent

which offers items to please many ethnic groups.  There are eggs, pancakes, cereal, along with grilled tomatoes and beans which the English like, salad, fresh fruit, noodle soup (fish, chicken or pork), rice, and usually a couple of curry dishes.  Something for everyone.

Most of the day is spend around the pool (there are two) or walking along the beach but the Regent Hotel offers a variety of daily activities plus there are things to do in the area, the most popular being golf.  We have visited a former Thai king’s summer residence and the night market where all kinds of things are offered at a bargain price.  In the evening we take turns dining at the hotel, a restaurant on the beach or walking 10-minutes into a small town where there are a bevy of restaurants, shops and mini-marts. Most meals cost less than $10 per person.

Most of the long-stay guests at the Regent Hotel in Cha’am are from England, Finland, and Germany. We have never run into any Americans.  Resorts usually offer their long-stay and returning guests a special Thank You Reception once a month.  An invitation was sent to our room and we gladly accepted.  The reception was excellent, nicely decorated on a grassy area near the bay, a duo band, and there was a wide selection of beverages and food.  One of the staff members performed a Thai dance for us.

Anyone considering a long-stay at a resort should contact the selected hotel to negotiate the best price.  We have discarded the option of renting a condo where we have to cook and clean – just like home – and many don’t have pools and other resort amenities. When March arrives it was like a mass exodus as the Europeans bid their farewells and returned to Europe. It seems like such a stress free way to winter and less expensive than buying an “winter” home.

Visiting Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia

East Malaysia, located on the Island on Borneo, is known for its diverse cultures. The name “Borneo” may conjure up images of people living in a primitive manner but Kota Kinabalu is a dynamic city with malls, four-lane highways, and even Burger Kings. I am always interested in learning about various ethnic groups and their lifestyles. Even though in the remote parts of Borneo some people still follow a traditional way of life the best place to learn about the different groups is at a cultural village. While in KK, which is the easy way to refer to Kota Kinabalu, we booked a tour to Mari Mari Cultural Village with the travel agent at the Hyatt Regency’s tour desk.

The cultural village, high in the hills in the rainforest, consists of five traditional homes. Each house has its unique architectural style and was built by the members of the tribes they represent. John and I were greeted by guides in traditional outfits and learned about some of their traditions. We prepared a portion of our lunch local-style by wrapping diced chicken and vegetables in a banana leaf that we inserted into a section of bamboo to be cooked over the open fire. The Murut group is best known for their blowpipes used in hunting and in war. John was the only one in our group to hit the target with the blowpipe which was only right since he was the “chief” of our group. In the center of the floor of the Murut house there is a large round bamboo section that works like a trampoline. The warriors get it bouncing then one would jump up to reach a “prize” hanging from the ceiling. The last stop was a cultural show of the traditional dances from the various groups. At the end of the tour we enjoyed a lunch that included the bamboo portion we had prepared earlier. Cultural villages are one way to preserve the traditions of local cultures in a world that is becoming increasingly the same.

There are a couple orangutan rescue centers in Sabah but both are full-day trips from Kota Kinabalu so we went to the Shangri-la’s Rasa Ria Resort Nature Reserve where they have a variety of nature-related activities. Twice daily they offer a program called, “In Search of the Orang Utan.” Two of the biggest problems facing the orangutans are a loss of habitat due to the cutting down of the rainforest and poaching. After a short informational program, a 15-minute jungle walk took us to the orangutans viewing and feeding platform. The orangs are free roaming but they know the easiest place to get their food. They are being slowly introduced to the wild and learning how to survive. When they are about six they will be sent to a larger nature center in Sepilok. The tour ended at the nursery where the babies are kept, bottle-fed, and trained until they are nearly three-years old. The babies are not put with the older orangs because the olders ones play too rough. Wild long-tailed macaques also showed up for the free food and had fun cavorting from tree to tree.

The Hyatt is a city hotel so we took a boat to one of the several nearby islands for a day on the beach. Our stay at the KK Hyatt was a good mix of culture, wildlife and beach time.

Making raw fish salad - Malaysian style

Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. For me the image of Borneo was one of the wildest jungles with unique wildlife and people still living in a very primitive manner. When John and I visited in January, I found Kuching, the capital of Sarawak, to be a lovely, modern city. Kuching means “cat” and it seems that the city was so named because the first non-Malays who visited the area saw a cat – most likely a civet – under a tree. Today the city is home to the world’s first Cat Museum. For nearly 100 years the area was governed by the Brooke family, called the White Rajahs of Sarawak. The area prospered under the White Rajahs. Outside the city it is possible to observe orangutans in the wild but most of them are rescued ones that stay close to the reserve even though they are not caged.

Most of Sarawak’s inhabitants belong to one of 27 ethnic groups. Less than an hour from Kuching is the Sarawak Cultural Village. It is a living history destination with houses of some of the ethnic groups. One of the houses we visited was a Melanau tall house that is entered by a log notched with steps that is easy to pull up preventing unwanted people from entering. However, it didn’t keep the macaques away as they were cavorting in the rainforest next to the house and on the tall poles supporting the house. The large house is home to several related families. Inside one lady was deep-frying thin slices of manioc root making Melanau-style “potato” chips.

The Melanau were one of the earliest settlers of Sarawak calling themselves "a-likou" meaning "people of the river.” They lived mainly along the rivers in the central coastal area of Sarawak where they built stilted houses thirty to forty feet above the ground and unlike other Borneo people they ate sago instead of rice. At the Village’s folkloric show the Melanau dance included one of the men being twirled atop a long bamboo pool. The performance evolved as a diversion while using the long poles to build their houses.

Just a short walk from the cultural village is Damai Beach Resort where we stayed. The resort offers free weekly cooking demonstrations that reflect the culinary diversity of the Sarawak people. At the beginning of the cooking demonstration Chef Sumardi greeted us in local fashion with his hand over his heart indicating that his greeting was heartfelt. One of the several recipes demonstrated was Melanau-style Raw Fish Salad.

Umai Ikan (raw fish salad)
1/ 2 lb fish, preferably red snapper fillet (cut into small pieces)
1/ 2 cup lime juice or calamansi juice
4 bird’s eye chilies (tiny green chilies)
1 turmeric leaf
2 shallots
2 cloves garlic
1/ 2 inch ginger
1 stalk of lemon grass
Salt to taste
Roasted sago pellets for garnish (optional)

Marinate fish in lime juice for at least 10 minutes. Put aside. Finely dice three bird’s eye chilies and slice the remaining one into a flower to be used as garnish. Thinly slice the turmeric leaf, shallots, garlic, ginger and lemon grass. Remove fish from the marinade. Place fish in a bowl and toss in the rest of the ingredients. Stir well. Garnish with chili flower and roasted sago pellets.

Malasia's Penang Island Beach Destination

We have been to several places in Malaysia and each area is unique. The capital city of Kuala Lumpur has the amazing twin Petronas Towers. Melaka is a beautiful historic city with a Dutch heritage. The world’s oldest rainforest is in Taman Negara National Park, there are two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo, and several islands. This was our first time on the island of Penang, the countries most popular beach destination. The island is a fascinating mix of East and West. It is a well-developed and very tourist friendly.

There are many high-rise luxury condos and many more being constructed. They advertise “Malaysia: Your Second Home.” In ten years it may look like Hong Kong, a city of high rise buildings. Penang was under the control of the British for many years. During that time they built Fort Cornwallis and one of the famous landmarks is the nearby Queen Victoria Memorial Clock Tower. The 60-foot tower was built in 1897 by a Penang millionaire to commemorate the 60th year of Queen Victoria’s reign. A few years ago George Town, the capital, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage City. Besides the English influence there are the Clan Jetties created by the Chinese immigrant fishermen. The beautiful blue Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion built about 100 years ago by a wealthy businessman is a fusion of Asian and Western architecture. Because of the ethnic mix there are churches, temples, and mosques, one of which is called the floating mosque because at high tide it is surrounded by water. We visited two Buddhist temples that were conveniently located across the street from one another. Even though both were Buddhist one was Burmese and the other Thai. Like Christian churches there are variations in the Buddhist temples but they are all beautiful and fascinating.

Penang likes to promote itself as a culinary destination which, given the ethnic diversity, makes it a great place to eat. Americans may think they invented the food court and mall concept but the truth is they have had similar shops in Asia for years. They called their food outlets hawker stalls. Today hawker stalls have gone modern and are often in a food court. We had lunch at the New World Park where there was an amazing variety of food much of which was only a dollar or two a plate. My favorite was a local iced dessert called Ice Kacang. It was the perfect thing on a hot day and after spicy chicken curry. Ice Kacang starts as shaved ice topped with a variety of things: sweet red beans, sweet corn, grass jelly, palm fruit, ice cream, evaporated milk, and other things. It may not sound yummy but it is the best sundae I have ever had!

We stayed at the beautiful Park Royal Hotel for a week where they offered cooking demonstrations twice a week. We learned how to make Fried Koay Teow, the national dish of Penang, and Sweet and Sour Fish. Most of the week at the Park Royal we spent enjoying their beautiful pool and a great beach. The hotel has an amazing and harmonious cultural mix of people from Europe and the Middle East. There were ladies in bikinis swimming with gals in burkinis – a lightweight swim outfit that covers the body completely. Penang is a popular honeymoon destination for Saudis and the women went jet skiing and parasailing fully covered.

Visiting Kuching, Malaysia

The image I had of Borneo was one of an undeveloped place with dense jungles and people living a primitive lifestyle so I was surprised when we arrived in Kuching, the capital of Sarawak, one of the Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. The city is clean, modern, and very tourist friendly. Malaysia shares the island with the Sultanate of Brunei and Indonesia. From our room in the Hilton we could see across the Sarawak River to the beautiful new administrative building and parts of the city where there were both Christmas and Chinese New Year decorations.

Malaysia is an Islamic state but there is a harmonious blend of religions and cultures. A short distance from the city is the Semmenggoh Orang Utan Rehabilitation Center. At the center rescued orangutans are treated and trained to survive in the wild. They are free-roaming but many show up at feeding time for a free and easy meal. They have very human emotions. Our guide explained that one badly mistreated orangutan came to trust one of the volunteers but became depressed then angry when she left. After feeding time was over we took a trail that goes through the jungle where it was easy to spot many of the orangutans. On the way back into the city we stopped at a Bidayuh traditional longhouse village where we were welcomed with drink of local rice wine. The houses are built on stilts and connected with a long porch in a traditional manner but they have TVs and other modern conveniences. One young boy was playing with this Game Boy.

The name Kuching means “cat” so it seemed right to visit the world’s first Cat Museum filled with a variety of cat-related displays. About an hour from Kuching is the Sarawak Cultural Village, a living museum that depicts the heritage of the major racial groups in Sarawak. Entering the village we were given a passport which was stamped in each of the seven ethnic homes built around a man-made lake. Each house is unique and most are entered by steps made from a notched log that could easily be pulled up making it difficult for unwelcome visitors to enter. Our arrival at the Bidayuh house was announced by the sound of several gongs. The Bidayuh have a head house where the young warriors, always on alert for any danger, stay and where the skulls of their enemies killed in battle are kept. In the Iban house women were making a rice treat and in the Orang Ulu house we enjoyed fresh deep fried chips from the tapioca root. Especially impressive was the 45-minute colorful dance show highlighting the various ethnic groups. The Iban dance shows the strength of the warrior as he lifts a mortar with his teeth, a Penan demonstrated his skill with a blowpipe, and very impressive was the man of the Melanau tribe who balanced atop a bamboo pole while it is twirled around.

Adjacent to the Sarawak Culture Center is the Damai Beach Resort where we relaxed for several days enjoying the pools. Each morning the staff met at the flag pools and sang the national anthems of Malaysia and Sarawak then recited a pledge to do their best to serve their guests. One of the hotel’s activities was a cooking demonstration of local food including raw fish salad from the Melanau. Sarawak is on our gotta’-visit-again list.